Shadow: Arcee's Past
by Clare Prime of Ultra
Summary: The war started when I was still a sparkling. The war took away my innocence. From then on I was on my own, fighting for my own sorry spark. I trusted no one. I grew up alone, in a war churned world. If there was a time that I could rise out of the endless abyss of loneliness that I subjected myself to, I would gladly take it. (One Shot)
**Shadow**

 _The war started when I was still a sparkling. The war took away my innocence. I watched as my creators were deactivated right in front of me. Too small to do anything, I ran away like a coward, the cons happily shooting at my trail. From then on I was on my own, fighting for my own sorry spark. I trusted no one. I grew up alone, in a war churned world. If there was a time that I could rise out of the endless abyss of loneliness that I subjected myself to, I would take it. Little did I know, that when I had long entered adulthood and the war turned everything into the pit and I was still too kind for my own good, I would get that chance._

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"This Tailgate to command, nothing to report, heading back to base." Tailgate spoke into his com link.

"Roger that, look out for any scraplets crawling up your hide."

"Haha, very funny Cliffjumper. I almost wish there was a Decepticon scout party." Tailgate said. Just then, something nearly hit him.

"Be careful what you wish for." Cliffjumper spoke, "need back up?"

"It's just a few drones, I can handle it." Tailgate said nonchalantly. His Servos transformed into boasters and he opened fire. The drones scattered, two falling and never getting back up again. Tailgate ducked behind some rubble as something exploded  
beside him.

"If a few means fifty, than I really don't need back up. Cliffjumper? Oh scrap! My com is out!" Tailgate shouted as something exploded right in front of him. He fell backwards. Three drones stood above, aiming their blasters at him.

"Oh scrap." He cursed. A dark blur passed right behind two of the drones and the third one screamed. The two remaining drones turned around just as a figure decapitated one then kicked the other. It went down as the figure sliced its midsection. Energon  
spilled over the dark form. Tailgate starred in awe at the shadow.

"Tailgate!" He turned to see Cliffjumper driving toward him. He turned back toward the shadow but it was gone.

"Who do you think saved you?" Cliffjumper asked. He and Tailgate just finished their report on the attack and were heading back for patrol.

"No idea, the mech moved so fast all I saw was a shadow." Tailgate replied. The incident only gave him a couple scratches.

"Who was it then?" Cliffjumper asked again.

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I'm too nice for my own good. I know that as I run underground, hidden in the shadows. Why can't I just stay out of other mechs businesses. The crumbling walls left shadows on the walls, where the ceiling has collapsed light filtered through. I ran in  
the darkness, unseen, undetected. My ped falls were unusually silent in the tunnel, where a whisper could be heard everywhere. Even the sound of my heavy intakes were unnaturally silent. I continue to run down the forgotten corridor, hidden in the  
shadows. I turned left then right, never slowing down, always silent. I ducked into a hole, and came upon a hidden room. Deep underground I was safe. Two stacks of energon cubes sat in a corner, their glow was all the light I needed. I settled on  
a piece of rock that served as my recharge table. I vented deeply. Am I really so desperate to join a side, to have friends and a family again? Being alone is too natural for me. Who could blame me for wanting to be with someone. My optics turned  
off and I went into recharge.

I onlined to the sound of explosions. The tunnel shook. I have to move. I jumped up just as a large boulder fell. I have to move, now! I transformed into a small transport and took off just as my old home collapsed. It wasn't the first time I lost a base.  
I could always find another place. Right now, I have to get as far away from the battle as I can. My wheels skirted over the floor as I drove down the unstable tunnel. Small pieces of the roof rained down. Eventually, the tunnel began to stabilize  
as the sounds of battle were only an echo on the walls. A light appeared at the end of the tunnel. I drove toward it.

As it slowly became bigger, I heard screeching. I hurriedly stopped and transformed right before I left the tunnel. Hidden behind a pile of rubble, I saw them. Insecticons. There were five in all. They were on the ground, sniffing. They were tracking  
a scent. Are they on to me? No, they are looking for Autobots that retreated from the battle. I cursed. I have two options. One, go back to the tunnel which may collapse at any moment. Or, I can dive right in and fight the insecticons head on. Both  
were unlikely.

The insecticons started moving closer to my position. The tunnel behind me rumbled. I smiled.

"No choice then." I spoke, just before jumping over the rubble and transforming my arms to have blades. The first insecticon nearly lost its head, but it was dead anyways. The second had a blade buried in its face. The remaining three stampeded toward  
me from different directions. I charged at one and dived under it. I brought my blade up, opening its chest plates. It screamed in pain. I jumped up as it collapsed, bleeding live energon all over the place. I cursed. I meant the cut to be deeper,  
much deeper. Insecticon armor is tough, the one I took down should bleed to death though. The remaining two flew at me.

I jumped out of the way as one landed with enough force to squish me to scrap metal plating. The second one ram into me straight on. I coughed at the impact. The thing kept flying until my back met a wall. I coughed again, this time with live energon.  
The insecticon. Was dazed for a minute. I stood still on my knees. The impact from the insecticon and the wall broke my winglets, and several internal organs were severely damaged. The insecticon still standing grabbed my leg and swung me into the  
ground. Before it could lift me again, I transformed my Servo into a blaster and began firing at its face. That only angered it.

It threw me several meters away. I hit the ground hard, leaving an impression. My body was temporarily paralyzed, and my audios were ringing. Shakily, I tried to stand, only to fall to my knees. To transform would be impossible in my condition. My Servos  
reached out on the ground, in a sad attempt to crawl, only for something to land on top of me. My vision went dark as I fell into stasis lock.

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"Not much of a fight today." Tailgate remarked as he walked over a pile of rubble.

"Not much of a fight? Are you kidding! I heard that a wrecker team had a blast taking out a few insecticons. Man those things pack one frag of a punch. I heard that they can crush your insides with a single punch. A mech even said that that he felt his  
spark leave his protoform. Can you believe that! I really want to fight an insecticon sometime! Truth be told though, I rather fight the normal drones over an insecticon any time. Did I ever tell you the time that I had to fight almost twice as much  
as... Hey! Are you listening to me?" Cliffjumper rumbled.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Cliff, thought I heard something for a minute." Tailgate turned to him.

"Really? I don't hear anything." Cliffjumper held a servo up to his audio. "I don't hear anything... Wait, just now I did. What is that?"

"Kinda sounds like…a… an insecticon!" Tailgate transformed his servos to blasters.

"Insecticons? What are they doing here in an old battlefield?"

"Old? The cons fought us only a cycle or two ago!"

"Exactly, old." Cliffjumper joked excitedly.

"Yeesh, you are unbelievable. At least you get your wish." Tailgate commented.

"Huh?"

"You get to fight an insecticon. Careful what you wish for Cliff."

"Right back at you. 'If a few means...'"

"Oh, shut up! Come on." Tailgate transformed and drive to where the hissing Insecticons were, Cliffjumper followed not far behind.

When the screeching was loudest, the two transformed and crept behind a pile of rubble.

"Whatcha see?!." Cliffjumper asked loudly.

"Shh. Nothing... Wait. Two Insecticons and a single mech. The mech is under their claws. So, shall we rescue him?" Tailgate spoke.

"Do you have to ask?" Cliffjumper smirked as he transformed his hand into a blaster. They both jumped over and started firing. The injured insecticon screamed in rage and began to stampede toward them with its buddy. Cliffjumper whooped and ran, still  
shooting. Tailgate ran toward the fallen mech.

"He's alive, thank Primus." He picked the fallen form up.

"And he's a... a femme." He blushed a dark black. The femme had blue coloring with pink high lights. Energon was leaking from all over her body.

"Tailgate, I need some backup! Help!" Cliffjumper yelled into his comm as the two insecticons stormed after him.

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"Her vitals are stable, she is no longer in any life threatening danger." Ratchet spoke. Tailgate and Cliffjumper sighed in relief.

"However, as soon as she wakes up, she'll be in your custody."

"What! Why?" Tailgate asked.

"Well, for one thing, since I don't see any symbols marking her allegiance, she's a rogue." Ratchet explained. Cliffjumper perked up.

"Really? Ha! Tailgate caught a bad femme! Yahoo!" He clapped his partner on the back.

"Oh joy." Ratchet rolled his optics. Suddenly, the alarms went off.

"Decepticons! We're under attack!"

"Battle stations!"

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I onlined slowly. My vision was bleary. Forms moved around me. Panicked voices were muffled. My body was sore from the beating I received from the insecticons. Where am I? Am I Captured? The ringing in my adios began to clear.

"-decepticons- Don't let them in any further!"

"How did they find us?"

"Must have tracked you after you rescued that femme." The voices of mechs were all around me. The white noise is blaster shots. I'm captured by Autobots, I'm injured, and the Decepticons are right outside. Not the best scenario to be in right now, but  
it can't be helped. A mech stood over me, probably the medic.

"Tailgate! Help me move her!" The medic yelled.

"A bit busy boss." Another mech, tailgate, yelled back.

"Cliffjumper?!"

"Not right now!"

"Is anybody free?" The medic yelled in a panick. He started to lift me gently. The room shook from an explosion.

"They're getting through!"

"We can't hold out much longer!" The Autobots screamed. The medic held me in his arms. My optics cleared and I saw figures behind a collapsed wall. Drones. Frag being injured. I grabbed the head of the medic and swung my body around him.

"Wow!" He toppled backwards as I slid past the two Autobots.

"Huh?"

"What the-"

The drones started shooting at me. I jumped over the head of one, turning my hand into a blaster and firing at its head. Then I used my other hand to have a blade and sliced several more down. Five left. I jumped and kicked off the wall right into a drone  
and used my momentum to bury my blade in his chest plates and continue over him into one of his buddies, who I sliced his head off. Three left. The remaining drones tried to surround me, but I leapt onto one, and after shooting its head off I used  
his falling body to topple another onto a piece of very sharp rubble. The remaining one kept firing at me. All the blaster shots missed as I ran all across the ground, coming toward it. When I was close enough, I cut its arm off then kicked it in  
the head, bringing it down. I stood there, taking deep intakes, as the Autobots stared at me with awe.

"Those movements... Could you be-?!" Tailgate started. The femme suddenly coughed energon and collapsed forward.

"Wow!" Cliffjumper gasped. Ratchet ran toward her.

"Hey! By the Allspark what were you thinking fighting in the state you are in?!" The medic yelled as he caught her and laid her on the ground. Tailgate stood there, blinking his optics with disbelief.

"Cliffjumper... her moves... She's..." Tailgate started. Cliffjumper stopped him.

"You don't need to tell me. Yeah, I figured it out, she's the one who saved you."

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The next time I onlined, I kept my optics shut. When adios were fully functional so I listened.

"- I rechecked the scene where we found her. Sure enough, there are _**three**_ dead insecticons there. Three! That's more than I - anyone could ever dream of! And..."

"Alright! We get it! She is surprisingly skillful and pack a fragging punch! What should we do with her is the question here!"

"Well-"

"Will you two shut up! My patient is resting! If you're going to yell take it outside!" An old voice spoke, most likely the medic.

"Alright, alright!"

"Sorry doc."

"Don't call me that!" The medic yelled. Briefly heard a door slid open and close, telling me that the two mechs left. Pedfalls and the muttering of the medic came closer to me.

"I wonder what would happen when you wake up." He spoke to himself. Let's find out then.

.

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.

"Man, wonder how that girl got so badass." Cliffjumper spoke.

"Yeah. Hopefully we'll get to ask her when she wakes up." Tailgate spoke. Something fell behind them. Both of them turned around. They heard Ratchet yell out.

"Guess we get to ask." Cliffjumper said after a brief look with his fellow mech. They ran down the hall, back into the medical room. The door slid open just as something knocked Tailgate to the ground.

"Woah!" Was all Cliffjumper could say before the femme kicked his helm, sending him into the wall.

"Hey!" Tailgate shouted as he grabbed her from behind. She kicked against the wall with both peds, then used the momentum to break free of his grasp. She transformed part of her arm into a blade, but was stopped by Cliffjumper before she could do anything.  
Tailgate got up and put his weight on her, bringing her down on the ground.

"Got her ok?" Cliff asked.

"I think so."

"Good. Say, where did a pretty femme like you learn how to fight like that?" Cliffjumper asked the femme. She glared at him.

"Running from 'cons you pick up a few things." She growled at him. Tailgate looked her over.

"I don't see any sign of a symbol, what side are you on?" She turned to the mech on her back.

"I belong to no one." She spoke darkly.

"Huh? Well what does-"

"By the allspark I should have chained her!" Ratchet yelled as he came into the hallway. He was clutching his helm. Tailgate increased his pressure on her.

"Y-you! What did you do to our medic?" He shouted at her. She merely turned away from him.

"I merely attempted to knock him out, but apparently I only dazed him." She said simply.

"Why you.." Cliffjumper started. "Don't you have any sort of morality? He is a medic, he was unarmed!"

"What is the problem then? He is my enemy." She replied.

"Why you-"

"In this war, you either pick a side and follow orders hoping you will live the next solar cycle. Disobey orders and you die, no matter how terrible, how cruel, those orders are. I live alone free from that. I refuse to let anyone take my freedom away."  
She spoke plainly. Cliffjumper squeezed her arm.

"Why you little-"

"Enough! Get off of my patient!" Ratchet yelled at them. Tailgate eased himself off of her, but held her arms secured.

"Hey, what did you mean that we are just following orders until we die?" Tailgate asked her as he escorted her to a cell. she turned her helm to look at him.

""Spare no one. Kill every coward fleeing from our home.'" She said simply. Tailgate halted.

"The Decepticon order to eliminate fleeing refugees." He spoke softly. The femme turned away from him.

"I was a sparkling when the war began. My creators were trying to leave so that I wouldn't grow up on a war torn planet. My sire wanted to join the Autobot ranks, but he needed to make sure me and my carrier were far away from the destruction. I remember  
it being unbelievably crowded that day. Only a few nano cycles in and my adios were ringing from the screams and crying. My carrier held on to me, afraid that I might be swallowed up by the crowd. Then they came. They destroyed the ships from above,  
then started firing at us. My sire fought for us, right to the moment he was stabbed through the chassis with an energon blade. My carrier held me as I screamed my spark out. Her last words to me were simple.

'Run my dear little one, run. Don't look back. Run!' She let go of me just in time as a grenade exploded, engulfing her. So I did the only thing I could do, I ran. The few that noticed me shot at my trail. I will never forget there shouts of glee every  
time they grazed me. The spaceports were overflowing when I entered, when I left, it was just me and leaking corpses. That day, not one of the attackers hesitated to shoot at a fleeing sparkling, they enjoyed it." She spoke with disgust. Tailgate  
said nothing for a while.

"What if I offered you a chance to take revenge." He spoke. She stopped in her tracks.

"I know the one who issued the orders. His name is Soundwave, third in command to Megatron.

She tore out his voice box. She was given the choice to fight alongside the Autobots, or remain a prisoner. She chose the obvious, and fought with friends until the end of the war.

 **See Transformers Prime for the rest of the story.**


End file.
